Make pleats on fabric through a combination of sewing and ironing. Form the pleats you want in the fabric by folding them by hand, then ironing them in place. As you iron, keep the tops of the folds lined up straight at the top of the fabric. Sew across the tops of the pleats to make them permanent; use a running stitch on your sewing machine. Sew down the pleats so you’re not moving toward the folded sides.